Biosurfactants are surface-active agents produced by biological systems, mainly microorganisms, such as Azotobacter vinelandii, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas sp., and Rhodococcus sp. Biosurfactant, consisted of distinct hydrophilic (i.e., with high affinity for water) and hydrophobic (i.e., with low affinity for water) segments, are membraneassociated metabolites, biodegradable, and can be produced from renewable resources. The structure and characteristic of the biosurfactants varies from one organism to another. Generally, biosurfactants offer several advantages over synthetic ones, such as low toxicity and high biodegradability, and remain active at extreme pH and salinity. As the structures and properties are elucidated, yields increased and costs of recovery from the fermentation media reduced, biosurfactants will become important industrial chemicals.
The chemical composition of biosurfactants varies greatly between different species of microorganisms and broadly can be classified into five major groups [1]:
The roles and applications of biosurfactants are listed below [2]
Some biosurfactants are a suitable alternative to synthetic medicines and antimicrobial agents and may be used as safe and effective therapeutic agents. For example, mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) produced by Candida antartica, rhamnolipids produced by P. aeruginosa and lipopeptides produced by B. subtilis and B. licheniformis have been shown to have antimicrobial activities.
Biosurfactants are considered to be less toxic and eco-friendly and thus several types of biosurfactants have the potential to be commercially produced for extensive applications in agricultural sector. Biosurfactants can be used for plant pathogen elimination and for increasing the bioavailability of nutrient for beneficial plant associated microbes. Besides, they can widely be applied for improving the agricultural soil quality by soil remediation.
Due to their amphipathic properties, biosurfactants can form stable micelles and thus increase the availability of hydrocarbons and crude oil for biodegradation. Besides, they can increase soil health and improve water quality.
Biosurfactants find applications in a wide variety of commercial areas and industrial processes such as oil recovery enhancement, replacement of chlorinated solvents used in the cleaning up of oil-contaminated pipes, use in the detergent industry and in the formulation of oil-in-water emulsions in the food, biotechnological, cosmetic industries, and so on.
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References
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